Banner Elk Lawyers

Attorney - 18 years of experience handing Workers' Compensation (job injury) and Personal Injury claims (such as serious injury due to the fault of another person/company, car accidents, slip and falls). My office is strictly focused on helping those that have been hurt. We provide high-quality legal representation and client satisfaction. The injured deserve a highly aggressive and experienced attorney - one they can speak with whenever they wish, one that will get results, a lawyer you can actually trust. Accept no less. We provide a free consultation to review your claim. Our number is (704) 334-1312. There is no...

Throughout my career I have had the opportunity to advocate for, provide services to, and learn from industry leading companies such as IMG, Roush Racing, Alston & Bird, LLP, DEWALT, Office Depot, Gatorade, Coca-Cola, Waste Management, Newell Rubbermaid and many others. What I learned is that in any industry and with each client – advocacy and accessibility are the imperative. It’s the culmination of these life and professional experiences that allows me to offer our clients that same focus on being an accessible advocate for their legal needs. I invite you to learn more about how...

I am a graduate of DePaul University College of Law. After law school, I moved to Colorado and worked as a public defender for several years. Through this experience, I gained extensive advocacy skills and learned to effectively fight for my clients’ rights. In 2006, I relocated to Washington, D.C. to work for the Department of Veterans Affairs on the Board of Veterans Appeals (Board). During this time, I developed a passion for helping Veterans. Working for the VA, I learned how to effectively navigate through the VA process, fully develop claims and get positive results for Veterans....

Chet Rabon is the Founder of the Rabon Law Firm, PLLC, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Chet is a graduate of Furman University and Vanderbilt University School of Law and has been in private practice for 24 years. The Rabon Law Firm concentrates its practice in matters arising under the False Claims Act and other whistleblower laws such as the IRS and SEC Whistleblower Programs. Rabon is an active member of the American Association for Justice (AAJ), the North Carolina Advocates for Justice (NCAJ), the Southern Trial Lawyers Association (STLA), and Taxpayers Against Fraud (TAF). Rabon was also recently invited to...

I offer personal, compassionate assistance with debt and consumer law issues to persons in the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina.

Serge Semirog holds degrees in Finance and Economics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he graduated cum laude. His law degree Mr. Semirog earned at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where he was a member of the Hastings Business Law Journal. Mr. Semirog’s experience includes work at the Hampden County Superior Court in Springfield, Massachusetts, as well as at several medium sized firms in California and Massachusetts. Mr. Semirog also worked at the Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI) where he drafted legislative proposals for the Massachusetts State Assembly. For his work...

David has extensive experience in the areas of social services, juvenile, child custody, domestic violence and family law. Additionally, he has been practicing civil litigation for the last 20 years. Further, he has experience with criminal matters, including DWI, misdemeanors and traffic tickets.

He has experience with the Indian Child Welfare Act and has represented Indian Tribes, as well as other parties in ICWA cases in North Carolina and Tennessee.

David is licensed to practice in Tennessee, North Carolina and in the Tribal Court for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, as well as being admitted to the 6th Circuit...

Agatha “Aggie” Guy is a native of Haywood County, North Carolina. She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she graduated with a degree in Journalism. Aggie later earned a juris doctorate from Florida Coastal School of Law and an LL.M in Tax with a concentration in Estate Planning from the University of Alabama. Aggie has extensive experience in estate planning and estate administration. She has worked with the Jackson County Area Agency on Aging for the past four years, helping area seniors with their estate plans and currently serves as the Public Administrator of Jackson County....

William Vásquez is a native of Queens, NY. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 2000-2007. He is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and received the Joint Service Achievement Medal for his work as a Spanish linguist for the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2005. William graduated from Campbell University in 2007 with a degree in computer science. He earned his J.D. in 2011 from the North Carolina Central University School of Law. His practice areas include immigration law and criminal defense cases. He is licensed and in good standing with the State Bar of North Carolina and...

I represent individuals in all types of employment disputes, including discrimination, retaliation, whistleblower actions, severance negotiations, equal pay violations, sexual harassment and assault, non-compete contracts, labor rights, wage and hour violations, leaves of absence, workplace safety, and executive compensation matters.

I have won trial victories for clients in federal jury trials, state court trials, and arbitration. I have fought employers who discriminated against clients based on their race, gender, age, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, and military service. I have fought back against retaliation based on our clients’ reports of unsafe working conditions, nuclear safety threats, and illegal overtime...

In 2006, after having managed the Raleigh, North Carolina branch office of a large Atlanta, Georgia based law firm for several years, Brian Steed Tatum moved to Charlotte, North Carolina and started the Tatum Law Firm. After observing how customer service can become a second priority at a larger firm, Mr. Tatum started the Tatum Law Firm to serve clients who still desire and deserve excellent customer service.

I am an AV-rated attorney, acknowledged by both Super Lawyers and Legal Elite for my professional conduct and capabilities. My practice areas include representing both individuals and businesses in employment law, malpractice law, and personal injury law. I hold a deep commitment to the well-being of my clients, ensuring that each one is treated with the utmost respect and consideration.

In her practice, Ann combines her passions for advocating for individuals and for bicycling culture. She represents injured individuals with a special interest in representing victims of bicycle crashes. Ann began her career in 1995 gaining daily courtroom experience as a criminal defense attorney for the Cumberland County Public Defender’s Office and then in private practice in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Her criminal defense career culminated in several death penalty trials, including the first case to go to a North Carolina jury, in 2003, on the issue of a defendant’s ineligibility for the death penalty due to mental retardation. Over time,...

Stephen David Koehler earned his Bachelor of Science in English and Computer Science degree from State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1987 and his Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1991. Mr. Koehler joined the firm in 2012 after owning his own firm since 1999. Mr. Koehler is admitted to practice in the State Courts of North Carolina, and in North Carolina's Middle and Western United States District Courts. Mr. Koehler has handled and tried cases in almost every area of business and tort litigation. Mr. Koehler has handled major cases involving General Civil...

Heather Helmendach joined The Noble Law’s Charlotte office as an Associate Attorney in October 2021 after gaining valuable experience as a seasonal associate for The Noble Law from May 2019 to January 2021. In 2021, Heather received her J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where she graduated in the top 10% of her class. During her time at UNC Law, she was a member of the North Carolina Law Review, UNC Women in Law, and served as President of the Labor & Employment Law Association. Not only is Heather passionate about working tirelessly to produce favorable outcomes...

Nick Benjamin is a former police officer, prosecutor and North Carolina Assistant Attorney General. He has practiced for nearly a decade in Asheville North Carolina. The majority of his time practicing law came as a prosecutor in Buncombe County, where he has prosecuted everything from speeding tickets to first degree murder. Nick left the Buncombe County District Attorney's Office in July 2022 (when he was focusing on violent crimes and firearms offenses) to start his own practice. In addition to an extensive criminal law background which includes over 300 bench trials and over 40 jury trials, Nick was an assistant...

Matthew Moore was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and attended college at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. During his undergraduate work, Matthew served as a member of the UNC Charlotte Pre-Law Society where he met his wife. He graduated on the Chancellor’s List, obtained a B.A. in Criminal Justice and Criminology and an Associate’s Degree in Spanish. While attending college, Matthew obtained a License from the North Carolina Justice Academy and became the youngest Concealed Carry Instructor in North Carolina. Upon graduation, Matthew attended law school where he served as a member of the Criminal Law Society, Family...

I am Cheryl R. Watkins, the attorney behind The Law Office of Cheryl R. Watkins, a boutique estate law practice that serves all 100 counties in North Carolina. My practice provides advice, counsel, and results in several areas of law including Estate Administration (Probate Law), Estate Planning (Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, etc.), Business Succession Planning, and Wrongful Death. My legal career is built on a foundation of over 25 years of experience in Estate Planning and Probate. Before transitioning to private practice, my career journey included roles as a CPA, auditor, and Assistant Clerk. I hold a degree...

James O. Rice, Jr. is an experienced criminal defense attorney in Asheville, who can provide you with the strong legal representation you need to fight the charges against you. When your future is on the line, it’s critical that you have someone on your side who will fight zealously for your freedom. Attorney Rice has assisted numerous clients against criminal charges, and can offer you his expertise and resources in order to help you develop a solid legal defense against the prosecution. Attorney Rice has experience with a variety of criminal law matters in North Carolina, including but not...

Time spent as an insurance claims adjuster made me realize that people need advocates to fight for them, and to fight for what matters most. Being on both sides of the claims process now as a personal injury attorney has taught me valuable information about how insurance companies will try to get you to settle for less than what you deserve. Whether it’s a personal injury attorney you need, medical malpractice, wrongful death, auto accident, workers compensation, or a matter involving civil litigation, my mission to get you what you are owed under the eyes of the law and...

Family and relationships are so important to me and I know they are for you as well. It’s one of the reasons that, after practicing many types of law, I’ve settled into the areas of law that we all will eventually face: including end-of-life planning and estate administration. I know these are often difficult topics with challenging decisions for individuals and families, especially for adult children of elderly parents, the terminally ill or those who are in domestic partnerships not legally recognized as marriage under North Carolina law. My job is to provide you with clarity on the law and...

Over 30 years of litigation experience handling high exposure cases, including personal injury, construction, insurance/insurance agent litigation, and worker's compensation/employment litigation. We offer the experience and expertise of a larger firm combined with the personal attention, responsiveness, and cost-effective representation of a small firm to resolve your dispute successfully. You will receive responsive and personalized service that focuses on the best and most efficient resolution of each case. Recipient of 2020, 2021, and 2022 AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell for highest level of professional excellence in both legal ability and ethical standards. Call us today for a...

Joe Ferikes began his practice in 1974 in Atlanta, Georgia, representing such entities as the County of Dekalb. In 1983, Joe and his wife moved back to their hometown of Asheville to continue his law practice and raise their family. He has been a private practice trial lawyer since 1981, and was a solo practitioner until forming Ferikes & Bleynat in 2001.

Joe’s representative clients include the Towns of Woodfin and Fletcher, North Carolina, as well as the ABC Boards for Fletcher, Woodfin and Black Mountain. Joe has been actively involved in the Greek community and has coached youth sports for...

Edward L. Bleynat, Jr. began his legal career by clerking for James G. Exum, Jr., then the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina. He later went to work with a major Greensboro law firm in a general litigation practice, focusing on business litigation and tort law.

In 1995, Ed, his wife and children relocated to Asheville, North Carolina to continue his law practice and to raise their family in Western North Carolina, where Ed grew up. After Ed started his own firm in 1997, he and Joe Ferikes merged their practices into Ferikes & Bleynat, PLLC in 2001.

Ed...

Brian is a Western North Carolina native, having been born and raised in Asheville. He attended Enka High School and then UNC-Chapel Hill for college. Brian attended Wake Forest University School of Law. After passing the Bar Exam, Brian practiced law in the Raleigh area, focusing his practice on serious personal injury, catastrophic injury cases, and wrongful death cases, for almost 20 years. He then moved his family and his law practice back to Asheville. Brian is an aggressive litigator who enjoys trying cases in the courtroom. He is very direct with his clients and with opposing counsel, does not...

Anthony’s dedication to service began at 17, when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a Yeoman. Over the course of his military career, he deployed twice to the Middle East and once to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, ultimately retiring from the JAG Corps. As a JAG officer, Anthony prosecuted several courts-martial and advised on multi-million-dollar contracts and large-scale environmental impact projects. After earning his law degree, Anthony began his civilian legal career with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in Chicago—the second-largest prosecutor’s office in the nation—where he handled 10 to 30 hearings a day for 18 months. Assigned to the...

Craig Law Firm, PLLC, provides legal services, including counsel; document and contract drafting, review, and enforcement; and negotiation and litigation assistance in State and Federal courts, in the following areas of law: Business Law: We work with small and medium-size business, including start-ups, in their formation, management, and transfer or dissolution. We work with sole proprietors, partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), and corporations (S or C designations, and "B" corporations). Real Estate Law: We work with property owners and occupiers in ownership, leasing, and use issues. We assist in developing lease, purchase or sale, and other agreements. We also work with title,...

Jason E. Payne is a highly accomplished personal injury lawyer and founder of Payne Law Firm. With an office in Charlotte, North Carolina, Payne Law Firm provides comprehensive personal injury representation to victims of serious accidents. Attorney Payne is a native of Port Arthur, Texas and earned his legal degree from the University of Houston Law Center in 2002. He has largely focused his legal practice on personal injury litigation and has also represented numerous Fortune 500 clients in various legal proceedings. In addition to his legal practice, he has served as a consultant to numerous small businesses and elected...

I am a US Marine Core veteran committed to protecting your interests and providing excellent service.

Ashley E. Lively is the owner and founder of the Lively Law Firm. Ashley founded the Lively Law Firm from a desire to take on tough cases and go to battle on behalf of her clients. When Ashley takes on a case, her clients reap the benefit of her considerable knowledge, experience and intense personal investment. Ashley has experience practicing in one of the toughest Immigration Courts in the country as an associate attorney at the Charlotte Immigration Law Firm. While at the Charlotte Immigration Law Firm Ashley fought for clients seeking asylum, applying for green cards through family members, and...